Whipstock



Npv. .30 ,-192e'.4

R. A. MUELLER ET AL WHIPSTOCK Filed May 13, 1926 (RAM 2 .M 21

i l the side wall of the well.

Patented Nov. 30,1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

aonnnr a. MUELLER .ann nuswonrn (may, or nousron, 'rnxas. wmrs'rocx.

Application, flied Kay 13, 1928. Serial No. 108,973.

Our invention relates to whipstocks for use in well drilling operationsfor deflecting a drill or cutter so as to side-track or, 1n

. other words, to cut. throughthe casing or I side wall of the well todrill a new hole.

Whenever a well has been clogged with tools, due to a twist-ofl' of thedrill stem, or from dropping tools accidentally, or for some otherreason, it is desired to cut a hole 01! to one side of the originalbottom of the well hole, a whipstock may be introduced into the well andemployed in deflecting the drill or milling cutter so that an inclinedopening may be cut through the casing, or

The drill may thus be sidetracked to drill another hole at one side ofthe original well bore. The difficulty with most whipstocks is. thatthey cannot be anchored in the bottom of the junked hole so as not torotate. Then when themilling cutter or drill is lowered into contactwith the whipstock, it will only rotate with the drill and the cuttercannot be deflected against the pipe or casing so as to cut it open atone point and allow the passage of the drill.

It is an object of our invention to provide a whipstock having means topositively lock it from rotation in the hole. It also desired to so formthe anchoring means that it may be set at any desiredelevation' in thehole and the cutter may be thus directed to cut a hole through thecasing at any point desired.

It is also an object to allow a passage for liquid past the whipstockwhen the device is in use.

In the drawing we have shown a referred form of the invention. Fig. 1ilustrates the same as set in a casing, part being in elevation and partin central longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of thedevice removed from the casing. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on theplane 3-3 of 'Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 is a top plan view ofthe anchoringmember. Like numerals are employed to designate like parts in all theviews.

The body 1 of the whipstock shown is preferably a solid block of steel,the outer surface 3 of which is cut approximately cylindrical. The upperend is then cut at an incline from one side downwardly, as shown at 2,said inclined surface bein cut' on an arcuate plane, as indicated in 1g.3, so as to conform to the shape of the rotary cutter ordinarily used.

The lower end of the body of the wh1pstock is beveled on opposite sidesto form a wedge. One side 4 is cut on a shorter bevel than is theopposite side 5, the short side s being on the same side as the surface2 above it. This has the effect. of throwing the side 6 of the bodyagainst the casing 7, as will belater noted. 05

The anchoring means comprises a tubular head 8, the lower end of whichmay have therein a threaded socket 9 to receive a pipe section 10 of anydesired length. .The upper end is forked and formed at its extremitywith jaws 11 on each of the forked ends. Said jaws have their outerfaces curved to conform to the curvature of the casing 7, and aretoothed at. 12, the teeth being inclined to engage the casing and resistrota- 7 tion in a right hand direction, as viewed from above. The upperends of the jaws are beveled upwardly on their inner faces as seen inFig. 4 and the jaws are also tapered to a point centrally-of each jaw,as is indicated at 14. WVhen the device is used, the anchoring member isfirst lowered into the well, and may be provided with the proper lengthof pipe 10 to bring the anchoring jaws to the desired level in thecasing. The whipstock may then be dropped into the casing. A waterchannel 15 is cut in the side of the body to allow the water to flowpast the device as it hits the liquid and sinks beneath it. Thewhipstock will hit 0 the anchoring means with same force and, because ofthe tapered ends of the jaws 11, the 'lower wedge of the whipstock willbe guided to its wedging position, shown in Fig. 1, and will force thejaws tightly against the casing, gripping it so as to effectivelyprevent rotation of the whipstock. As the said whipstock is wedged inposition, it will be held by the short bevel 4 atthe lower end with thelonger side 6- firmly against the casing, so that when the'rotary cutteris then introduced, it will strike the inclined face 2 of the whipstockand be guided against the wall of the casing toward WhlCh the inclinedguide 2 faces and will thus cut into and mill a hole through the casing.By holding the whipstock firmly against rotation the operation ofsidetrackln becomes a simple one and may be accomplished simply andquickly.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desire toprotect by Let cers Patent is:

1. A whipstock having its lower end wedge-shaped, in combination with ananchorlng means having two spaced jaws beveled to receive saidwedge-shaped end between them, and longitudinal pipe-engaging teeth onsaid jaws.

2. A whipstock having a cutter deflecting upper face, and. awedge-shaped lower end, in combination with an anchoring meanscomprising a head, a forked upper end having opposite spaced jawsthereon to receive said wedge-shaped end, and means on said jaws toresist rotation in a well.

3. A whipstock having a cutter deflecting upper face, and a wedge-shapedlower end, said wedge-shaped end having its opposite sides beveled atdifferent angles relative to the axis of the whipstock, in com-'bination with an anchoring means comprising a head, a forked upper endhaving opposite spaced jaws thereon to receive said wedge-shaped end,and means on said jaws to resist rotation in a well. I I

4. A whipstock having a cutter-deflecting upper end, the face of whichis inclined downwardly toward one side, a wedgeshaped lower end on saidwhipstock, one side below the lower end of said inclined facebeing cuton a shorter bevel than the opposite side, whereby the extremity of saidend is out of the axial center of the whipstock, and an anchoring meanshaving a symmetricall cleft upper end to 'receive said wedge-s aped endof said whipstock.

5. A whipstock having a cutter-deflectin upper end, the face of which isincline downwardly toward one side, a wedgeshaped lower end on saidwhipstock, one side below the lower end of said'incline'd face being cuton a shorter bevel than the opposite side, whereby the extremity of saidend is out of the axial center of the whipstock, and an anchoring meanshaving a 7. A whipstock having an inclined cutterdeflecting-face at itsupper end, and a tapered lower end thereon, in combination with ananchoring means having upper jaws expanded to grip the walls of the wellwhen engaged by said tapered end of said whipstock.

In testimony whereof we hereunto afiix our signatures this 5th day ofMay, A.- D. 1926.

ELLSWORTH GRAY. ROBERT A. MUELLER.

